Companies are asking more questions about the security of their cloud-based data as the barrage of NSA-related news rains down. For solution providers, being a 'trusted adviser' has never been more important.

Insider threats range from disgruntled employees out to destroy the business to careless workers attempting to bypass security controls. These technologies are essential in mitigating the risks associated with internal threats.

Security consultants and other experts tell CRN that their clients sometimes forget that compliance doesn't equal security. Merchants must abandon the PCI compliance checkbox and focus on a fully supported and sustained security program, they say.

Target acknowledges it is investigating the theft of at least 40 million credit and debit card numbers at its brick-and-mortar stores. The thieves struck during the start of the busy holiday shopping season.

In technology areas from cloud computing and big data to storage and security, this year had more than its share of startups and young companies that appeared on everyone's radar screens. Here are 10 startups that really caught our attention.

Doron Kempel says selling hyper-convergence can be challenging for solution providers, but success will come from taking business from competitors that are unprepared or hesitant to embrace the technology.